Prevention of venereal infections

Abstract

In the first part of this paper, a plea is made for a broad view by health administrations of the preventive aspects of venereal disease control, based on epidemiological rather than purely clinical grounds. Stress is laid on the importance of measures directed towards health promotion, specific protection, early recognition and prompt treatment, disability limitation, and rehabilitation. The value of case-finding and contact-tracing and of systematic blood-testing of certain population groups is emphasized.In the second part, measures for local and systemic prophylaxis are discussed. It is also pointed out that in the past 15 years there has been a rapid reduction in syphilis throughout the world as a whole (although some recrudescence has recently been reported in certain countries), but that over the same period the reservoir of gonorrhoea has been but slightly reduced. The possible epidemiological, immunological and other reasons for this phenomenon are gone into, and the conclusion is reached that the outlook for the control of gonorrhoea is now somewhat less favourable than it was a few years ago. Should apprehension on this score bring about a general orientation away from penicillin (particularly the long-acting preparations) in treating gonorrhoea, the effect on the reservoir of syphilis may also be unfortunate.